Peadar Tóibín
Question:58. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of early warning reports for foreign direct investment companies for each of the past five years. [21603/23]
View answerForeign Direct Investment
Questions (58)
Written answers
My Department operates an Early Warning Report system, known as EWRs, through which the enterprise agencies - including IDA Ireland - notify the Department when they become aware of any significant issue arising for client companies that could impact their business in Ireland. While there is no obligation on companies to provide EWRs to the enterprise agencies, employers are legally obliged to notify the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment of proposed collective redundancies. Additionally, our enterprise development agencies work hard to maintain close working relationships and strong channels of communication with their client companies, which facilitates the operation of this system.
It is important to note that not all EWRs translate to job losses, and in some cases, the proposed number of job losses may be revised downward following statutory employee consultation periods.
The table below outlines the number of Early Warning Reports issued by IDA Ireland for each of the past five years 2018–2022 inclusive.
|
Year |
No. of Early Warning Reports |
|
2018 |
33 |
|
2019 |
32 |
|
2020 |
137* |
|
2021 |
41 |
|
2022 |
58 |
*2020 was the year when Covid-19 Work Restrictions were implemented
Vacant Properties
Questions (59)
Mattie McGrath
Question:59. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will assign a taskforce to deal with vacancy rates in Clonmel town; the efforts being made to support small and medium-sized rural towns that are suffering huge levels of closure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22370/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Government is committed to providing supports that will assist the key stakeholders in towns and villages to make their centres vibrant and vital centres of the community. Many Government Department are working to deliver on this commitment including the Department of Rural and Community Development, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage along with my own Department.
Through the 9 Regional Enterprise Plans as well as though the Enterprise Agencies of my Department we are providing a suite of measures to support businesses to start and grow in every part of Ireland including local towns and communities.
The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) in Tipperary provides their enterprise development services to any Business or Entrepreneur within their Local Authority area while the specific issue of vacancies in rural towns and villages is addressed by the relevant Local Authorities.
Through Enterprise Ireland, the Government has provided over €126m funding from the Regional Enterprise Development Fund, the Border Enterprise Development Fund, and the Regional Enterprise Transition Scheme to assist enterprise development and jobs growth across all regions. The Mid-West region, which incorporates Tipperary, has performed very well under these funds, securing over €16m in funding for 8 innovative enterprise focused projects. This funding has enabled significant collaborative and innovative regional projects to provide a timely impetus to job creation in these areas.?
The Town Centre First Policy, developed by the Department of Rural and Community Development, aims to create town centres that function as attractive locations for people to live, work, visit, and invest while also functioning as the service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community.
A key aim of both the Town Centre First and the Our Rural Future Policy is to address vacancy and dereliction in rural towns and villages across the country and ensuring that the policies and schemes in place directly tackle these issues. This complements other national policies such as Housing for All and the National Planning Framework which also address vacancy in rural towns and villages as well as supporting local communities.
Central to the Town Centre First approach is the range of support funding in place, including the Department of Rural and Community Development's Regeneration and Development Fund and Town and Village Renewal Scheme. Last November, that Department announced funding of €115m for regeneration projects across rural towns under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund for 2023. These projects include a focus on combating vacancy and dereliction by regenerating iconic town centre buildings such as old hotels, banks, schools, and courthouses.
In addition, in December 2022 €27m in funding was announced to combat dereliction and breathe new life into rural towns and villages under the 2022 Town and Village Renewal Scheme. In 2023, the schemes implemented by DRCD will continue to support the Town Centre First approach. This year’s Building Acquisition Measure will allow local authorities across the country to purchase up to three buildings up to a total grant value of €500,000. This call for applications closed on 28 April 2023.
My colleague Minister Heather Humphreys TD., expects to announce a further phase of the Town Centre First Plan initiative in the coming months.
The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, aims to deliver more compact and sustainable development, as envisaged under Project Ireland 2040. It does this by part-funding regeneration and rejuvenation projects in Ireland’s five cities and other large towns.
One of four funds set up under the National Development Plan 2018-2027, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund supports the objectives of the National Planning Framework. With an initial allocation of 2 billion euro up to 2027, the fund has been extended to 2030 under the revised NDP 2021-2030.
Question No. 60 answered orally.
Site Acquisitions
Questions (61)
Brian Leddin
Question:61. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress on procuring of sites for the development of new industrial estates in Limerick city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22166/23]
View answerWritten answers
As set out in the Government's White Paper on Enterprise, IDA’s strategy, “Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021-2024” includes ambitious employment targets for 50,000 new jobs and 800 new investments over its 4-year lifecycle to 2024, with half of these new investments to be in regional locations.
As part of its Strategy, the IDA will acquire additional strategic sites within the Mid-West for future development to ensure a robust value proposition for clients. 76 investments are targeted for the Mid-West region in the period 2021 to 2024.
Over the past decade, employment growth in the Limerick City region has been significantly underpinned by major FDI investments in the life science and large-scale manufacturing sectors. Limerick city is now recognised as a global cluster location of choice for advanced manufacturing including both life science and semiconductor manufacturing multinationals such as Analog Devices, Johnson and Johnson Visioncare Ireland, Edwards Lifesciences Ireland, Cook Medical, Stryker Corporation and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and more recently Eli Lilly employing in excess of 5,000 in the city region. Furthermore, Digital Manufacturing Ireland, the new advanced manufacturing facility in Limerick, is an important additional component to Ireland’s value proposition and will build on these strengths to position Ireland at the frontier of Advanced Manufacturing.
It is evident that, to achieve National Planning Framework targets for population growth, Limerick’s future employment profile will rely heavily on its ability to capitalise on the success of the established cluster of Life Science and related manufacturing sectors and attract new greenfield manufacturing investment. Fundamental to achieving this will be the availability of sufficient zoned, serviceable, and accessible land in strategic locations. To this end, the IDA is currently competing for in an increasingly competitive international market for FDI and these are projects of scale requiring extensive land areas. Accordingly, while commercially sensitive, I can assure the Deputy that the IDA continues to work to future proof the portfolio of lands in the Mid West region, including Limerick, as set out in the IDA Strategy.
Question No. 62 answered orally.
Enterprise Policy
Questions (63)
Thomas Gould
Question:63. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment whether he will offer support to the group currently working to renovate the butter exchange in Cork as an enterprise hub. [22065/23]
View answerWritten answers
My Department has invested in the development of enterprise hubs through the various regional enterprise funds which drive implementation of the nine Regional Enterprise Plans.
Approximately 40 Enterprise Centres and Hubs have been funded under these schemes and are at various stages of development. Enterprise Centres are primarily focused on providing spaces for start-ups, providing training, collaborative spaces, aiding innovation and supporting digitalisation.
I can advise the Deputy that Enterprise Ireland supported Recreate Shandon with a Feasibility Grant under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund with €14,850 approved to complete an initial feasibility of the Butter Exchange project in partnership with Cork City Council on the 16th July 2020.
Last year Enterprise Ireland approved a more in-depth feasibility study for this project under Regional Enterprise Innovation Scoping Scheme with a grant approval of €46,800 again in partnership with Cork City Council. These amounts represented 50% of the actual cost supported by way of Feasibility Grants.
Enterprise Ireland has advised me that the project is currently working on finalising a detailed business plan which will form the basis of an application for funding of the overall project, under the European Regional Development Funded ‘Smart Regional Enterprise Innovation Scheme’, which is due to be open for applications shortly.
Small and Medium Enterprises
Questions (64)
Michael Moynihan
Question:64. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has any plans to review the audit exemption regime for small and micro companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22083/23]
View answerWritten answers
In recognition of the burdens on small business, company law was amended in 1999 to provide audit exemption for those companies who meet their filing obligations. These long-standing provisions have been, and continue to be, of significant benefit to compliant companies. There is a considerable incentive on companies and their advisers to ensure timely filing of annual returns, thereby safeguarding the audit exemption and avoiding late filing penalties and possible prosecution.
Against this background, there has been a very significant increase in the compliance rate for the filing of annual returns, moving from a widespread culture of non-compliance up to the 1990s to a situation, where in the region of 94% of companies met their filing obligations on time in 2022.
However, I am cognisant of the impact that the loss of audit exemption can have for small and micro sized companies who do not file on time. To that end, I intend making a change to company law by introducing a two-step graduated approach to deal with late filing. On the occasion of the first instance of late filing, late filing fees would be incurred by the company without the loss of audit exemption. If there was a further instance of late filing, within the following five-year period, late filing fees would be incurred and the entitlement to audit exemption would be lost for the following two financial years, with the company required to file audited financial statements for these years.
I have recently launched a public consultation on proposed changes to company law, including the aforementioned change to audit exemption. I look forward to considering the responses received with a view to finalising the proposals to amend the legislation in the coming months.
Regional Development
Questions (65)
Barry Cowen
Question:65. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21946/23]
View answerWritten answers
Balanced regional enterprise development continues to be a key policy of mine and this Government, and is reaffirmed in the White Paper on Enterprise.
My Department contributes to this agenda in a number of ways, including through oversight of development and implementation of nine Regional Enterprise Plans.
The Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan which covers Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath was launched in Mullingar on 1st March last year.
Each Plan is overseen and monitored by a Steering Committee made up of regional stakeholders and chaired by a senior level private sector business-person.
Minister Calleary attended the last meeting of the Midlands Steering Committee and has reported good progress is being made in delivering on the objectives of the Plan. The next meeting of the Steering Committee is due to take place tomorrow, 12th May in Portlaoise. Minister Calleary will again be in attendance.
I can advise the Deputy that my Department has secured up to €145 million from the European Regional Development Fund to drive implementation of the Regional Enterprise Plans. This funding will support innovative enterprise focused projects across all regions. I expect the first call of €35 million to be announced in the coming months.
Finally, the Deputy may be aware that my Department is holding nine ‘Building Better Business’ conferences around the country. These focus on the opportunities and challenges for businesses of digital transformation and the transition to a low-carbon economy, as well as showcasing the government and agency supports available to small and medium enterprises. The Regional Enterprise Plan Chair also has the opportunity to address attendees about the progress being made in the implementation of the Plan.
Two of these conferences have taken place to date, the first for the North-West region on Friday, 3rd March at the Letterkenny campus of the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in Donegal. The second event actually focused on the Midlands region and was held on the 27th April at the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise. I attended and spoke at both of these events and had an opportunity to engage with local businesses and other stakeholders.
I believe the conferences demonstrate the firm commitment of this Government to balanced regional enterprise development for all regions of Ireland, including the Midlands.
The next event will focus on the Mid-West region and take place on the 26th May in the University of Limerick.
Questions Nos. 66 and 67 answered orally.
Flexible Work Practices
Questions (68)
Neasa Hourigan
Question:68. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the engagement his Department has had with other Departments and State bodies in providing employees with the option to avail of a four-day week; the number of employees in State bodies currently doing so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21317/23]
View answerWritten answers
My Department, in common with the Civil Service and public sector generally, provides a wide array of flexible working arrangements including reduced working time.
I understand that the Deputy is referring to recent initiatives built around working a four-day week for 100% of pay and no loss in productivity. This type of working arrangement has not been introduced in my Department or agencies and I do not believe it has been introduced in the public sector generally. Therefore, there are no statistics to report on this type of four-day working week.
I welcome increased public interest in and discussion of this topic, and around innovative ways of working more generally. In this context, I welcome the interim findings of the four-day working week pilot announced by Four-Day Week Ireland, UCD and Boston College in November 2022, as well as the findings of a similar trial undertaken in the UK which were published in February this year.
The Irish project saw a four-day working week being piloted in 12 businesses in Ireland for a period of six months, and examined the financial, social, and environmental impact that a four-day working week would have on businesses, employees and the environment.
I note with interest the reported benefits of the four-day workweek such as improved productivity, revenue and staff retention for some participating businesses, alongside improved work-life balance and reduced stress for employees.
While these trials have been limited to a relatively small number of companies, this research makes a significant contribution to an important debate and I am aware that a second trial of the four-day working week is being prepared by Four-Day Week Ireland.
With support from my Department, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is commissioning research which will examine the potential social, economic and environmental implications of a transition to reduced working time, including a four-day workweek. This will add further to the evidence base on this important subject.
The research will take into account other Government initiatives such as the recent passing of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 and the National Remote Work Strategy, measures which very much reflect the Government’s commitment to facilitating flexible working options for employees across both public and private sectors.
Questions Nos. 69 and 70 answered orally.
Industrial Relations
Questions (71)
Bríd Smith
Question:71. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is aware of recent actions by a company (details supplied) which are aimed at unilaterally changing the work contract of senior staff and separately the changing of hours and remuneration of delivery staff; if he will meet with worker representatives on foot of these moves to examine their concerns on the limitations of current legislation that governs protection of workers contracts and earnings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22142/23]
View answerWritten answers
Contractual terms of employment are a matter for agreement between the parties to the contract. Whilst it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the particulars of proposed changes to employment contracts within a company, I would note that any alterations must comply with our existing suite of employment legislation including the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and the Payment of Wages Act 1991.
The Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994 transposed Directive 91/533/EEC concerning an employer's obligation to inform employees of the conditions applicable to the contract or employment relationship. The Act provides that an employer must provide its employee with a written statement of the particulars of the employee’s terms of employment. Included amongst those particulars are the terms or conditions relating to hours of work, such as overtime.
The Directive was updated in 2019 by the Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive, which was transposed in Ireland by the European Union (Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions) Regulations 2022. These Regulations introduced new protections including reducing the amount of time that an employer must take to notify an employee of the nature and date of any change to the particulars contained in the written statement.
Other changes introduced last year include the right to know in a reasonable period in advance when work will take place – that is, for workers with unpredictable working schedules, such as for on-demand work and the right for employees to request a transfer to a form of employment with more predictable and secure working conditions, where it is available. The Act provides a right of complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission.
More generally, it is important to emphasise that responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes between employers and workers rests in the first instance with the employer, the workers and their representatives. The State provides the industrial relations dispute settlement mechanisms to support parties in their efforts to resolve their differences.
Question No. 72 answered orally.
Enterprise Policy
Questions (73)
James Lawless
Question:73. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps being taken to drive a step change in digital adoption across enterprise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22080/23]
View answerWritten answers
Embracing digital technologies is crucial for our continued economic progress as well as for meeting the demands of our people in a modern society. As the White Paper on Enterprise outlined, digital transformation is at the heart of our enterprise policy.
The Enterprise Dimension of the National Digital Strategy sets out our goals in relation to the digitalisation of businesses. This includes driving a step change in digital adoption across enterprise, in particular among SMEs.
We have clear targets and initiatives in place to address this divide. We want 90% of SMEs to have achieved basic digital intensity by 2030 and 75% of all enterprises to be using cloud, AI and big data. Those are big ambitions but ones which we are determined to meet.
We know however, that the digital economy in Ireland is running at two different speeds. While a small proportion of the enterprise base has fully embraced digitalisation, there is a need to accelerate and enhance digital adoption right across Irish businesses.
For SMEs, digitalisation can help increase productivity and efficiencies, enable access to new markets – both online and exporting, understand and respond better to their customers, and improve their products through innovation. It is important to emphasise that digital is an essential tool for everyone and every business.
This is the message we have been delivering and will continue to deliver at each of the nine Building Better Business events across the country - where the focus is on digitalisation and decarbonisation.
My Department and the Enterprise Agencies are making concerted efforts to make going digital much more simplified and straightforward. Through the development of a new Digital Portal, any business will be able to get a digital roadmap with clear, tailored advice and guidance of what steps they can take to digitalise. The Digital Portal will demystify digital and will assist businesses on the digital adoption journey when it is launched in the early autumn. To boost the uptake of digital technology in enterprises, last year the Government established the Digital Transition Fund. This is an €85 million multi-annual fund which will run until 2026. This funding is in place to help companies at all stages of their digital journey. Under Budget 2023, €16 million was allocated to the Digital Transition Fund. There are other sources of funding available including the Trading Online Voucher, the Online Retail Scheme and Digital Start.
This work will be complemented by a network of European Digital Innovation Hubs, which will act as one-stop shops for expertise, advice, and opportunities to test out technologies before investing.
Work Permits
Questions (74)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:74. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of employment permits approved for workers outside the European Economic Area to address skills shortages in Ireland’s dairy, transport and home care sectors since December 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22031/23]
View answerWritten answers
In December 2022, changes to the employment permits system were announced to help address skills shortages in Ireland’s Dairy, Transport and Home Care sectors.
Since the changes were introduced, there have been 65 permits issued for the role of bus and coach driver, 68 permits issued for the role of farm worker, and 61 permits issued for the role of care worker/home carer.
Ireland’s employment permits system is designed to accommodate the arrival of non-EEA nationals to fill skills and labour gaps for the benefit of our economy, in the short to medium term. This objective must be balanced by the need to ensure that there are no suitably qualified Irish/EEA nationals available to undertake the work and that the shortage is a genuine one.
The system is managed by means of two Occupations Lists determining either highly skilled roles in critical short supply or those that are ineligible for an employment permit. The lists undergo regular, evidence-based review to ensure the system is aligned with current labour market intelligence, guided by relevant research and a public/stakeholder consultation. The views of the Economic Migration Interdepartmental Group and relevant policy Departments are also taken into consideration.
My Department continues to actively respond to the concerns raised by various sectors with regard to the critical short supply of skills in a number of roles crucial to the economy.
Question No. 75 answered orally.
Enterprise Support Services
Questions (76)
James Lawless
Question:76. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the measures in place for nurturing digital start-ups with export potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22081/23]
View answerWritten answers
My Department and its Agencies operate a comprehensive suite of measures and supports to nurture all start-ups, including digital start-ups.
The Seed and Venture Capital Scheme, operated by Enterprise Ireland, has been a key driver of the development of an equity funding ecosystem for startups in Ireland. The Scheme provides essential finance and assistance to early-stage companies. Since 1994, the Scheme has invested over €700 million into early stage, innovative Irish companies, which, combined with private money crowded in by this investment, has resulted in funds with a total combined size of over €3.3 billion.
Further to the Seed and Venture Capital Scheme, Enterprise Ireland has a comprehensive range of supports for high potential start-ups. These include: Innovation Vouchers to assist early-stage companies to explore a business opportunity or solve a technical problem; New Frontiers, which is a programme designed to accelerate the development of sustainable new businesses that have strong employment and growth potential; the Innovative HPSU Fund, which offers equity investment to high potential start-ups, many of whom would be in the digital space; and Investor Ready Workshops.
Enterprise Ireland also run the HPSU Founders Forum, which is a platform that provides founders with an environment to motivate, share challenges and support each other through their growth journey.
Outside of these initiatives, my Department supports the operation of the Halo Business Angels Network or HBAN, an all-island organisation responsible for the promotion of business angel investment. It is a joint initiative of Enterprise Ireland and InterTradeIreland. HBAN facilitates investors to meet startups, giving these investors the opportunity to be part of the journey in creating great Irish companies.
Microfinance Ireland is another organisation that provides vital support to microenterprises. It fills a lending gap in the market and lending to businesses that cannot obtain loans from other commercial lenders. It provides loans of €2,000 up to €25,000 to businesses that do not meet the conventional risk criteria applied by commercial lenders and applies interest rate charges for its lending which are not reflective of its credit risk.
In addition to its lending services, Microfinance Ireland also provides post approval mentoring services, free of charge, to its borrowers. The mentoring services are delivered through the Local Enterprise Office Network.
Finally, my Department has responsibility for the implementation of the Enterprise Dimension of "Harnessing Digital - The Digital Ireland Framework". This paper recognises that the supports outlined above provide Ireland with a strong ecosystem for start-up and early stage companies. This ecosystem will be leveraged to nurture a new generation of digital start-ups, including ensuring that 35% of State funding to start-ups is targeted towards innovative digital businesses, improving market access to the EU Single Market for digital service by removing barriers, or using public procurement supports innovative start-ups.
Industrial Development
Questions (77)
Alan Dillon
Question:77. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide details of the budgetary estimates available to support the IDAs annual property budget for 2023; how this compares to 2022 and 2021 estimates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21432/23]
View answerWritten answers
IDA Ireland’s property investment programme is aimed at supporting economic development and job creation across the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and LEO client base. IDA continues to work with regional stakeholders and the private sector on opportunities to add to the supply of competitive property solutions in regional locations.
The Regional Property Programme is an important driver of IDA Ireland’s objectives in the regions as set out in the Government's White Paper on Enterprise, providing ready-made solutions and ensuring IDA Ireland is strategically placed for regional investments in the future. Under IDA’s Property Programme the regional building programme will see 19 Advanced Building Solutions delivered in regional locations across Ireland over the period to 2024. IDA will also maintain a focus on land banks and utility intensive strategic sites to future-proof the ability of the property portfolio to support the project pipeline.
The Regional Building programme is progressing well with the completion of 8 of the 19 properties announced as part of the IDA Strategy by Q2 2023. It is envisaged that the next phase of properties will commence in Q4 2023 and by Q3 2023 we expect to have three further buildings in the planning process.
Details of IDA’s property budget for 2021, 2022 and 2023 is outlined below.
• 2021 €52m plus €6.6m for Digital Manufacturing Ireland
• 2022 €52m plus €4m for or Digital Manufacturing Ireland
• 2023 €60m plus a further additional €10.5m has been allocated from capital carryover.
The 2023 allocation includes an additional €4m for the Agency’s ambitious Regional Property Programme, bringing the budget for that programme to €60m. Own Resource Income allows the IDA to further expand this expenditure level.
Employment Rights
Questions (78)
Gino Kenny
Question:78. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if, in light of proposed redundancies at a company (details supplied) he will review current legislation around redundancies and notice periods in order to enhance current protection for workers; if he or his Department will meet with worker of to hear their concerns at the limitations of the current legislation and the process undertaking by their employer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22143/23]
View answerWritten answers
Firstly, let me say I fully appreciate that this is a very difficult situation for all the workers who are impacted by redundancies at this company. Government will assist the employees as needed in relation to income, employment and training supports.
Ireland has a robust suite of employment rights legislation to protect and support workers in collective redundancy situations. I will briefly outline some of these protections:
Under the Protection of Employment Act 1977, employers must comply with a number of legal obligations when proposing collective redundancies. This includes the requirement to consult and provide information to employees and their representatives for a 30-day period, before any notice of redundancy can issue. A collective redundancy notification was received from this company on 29 March.
The Redundancy Payments Acts 1967-2022 set out the entitlement of eligible employees to a minimum statutory payment in situations of redundancy. Negotiations on enhanced redundancy packages, over and above the statutory entitlement, are entirely a voluntary matter between employers, workers and their representatives. The State has no role in this matter.
Under the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973-2005, employees are entitled to statutory minimum notice period depending on their length of service, once they have been in continuous employment for at least 13 weeks. Some contracts of employment may provide for a minimum notice period that is greater than the statutory entitlement.
If employees believe their employment rights have been breached, they have the right to refer complaints to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on a wide range of employment law breaches for an adjudication and compensation where appropriate.
On 4 May, I received approval from Government for the priority drafting for a Bill which includes proposals to further enhance the protection of employees in a collective redundancy situation. This Bill will deliver on important Programme for Government commitments and serves to implement the remaining commitments in the Plan of Action on Collective Redundancies following Insolvency.
While some of these changes specifically relate to collective redundancies where the employer is insolvent, there are changes in the proposed Bill that will provide further protection to employees in all collective redundancy scenarios. It is proposed that the grounds for redress from the WRC will be expanded to include where an employer dismisses an employee during the 30-day period following notification to the Minister.
Question No. 79 answered orally.
Work Permits
Questions (80)
Catherine Connolly
Question:80. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 96 of 23 February 2023, the number of employment permits issued in respect of non-EEA home care workers since the changes in December 2022 to the employment permits system for workers from outside the EEA to address skills shortages in the home care sector; the number of applications received; the number of applications refused; the number of applications pending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22148/23]
View answerWritten answers
The first table below sets out the number of employment permits applications that have been issued and refused to date in 2023 in respect of non-EEA home care workers since the changes announced in December 2022.
The second table below provides the approximate number of applications currently awaiting processing in this category. As these applications have yet to be processed and assigned an appropriate SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code it is not possible to provide the exact number of applications received.
All applications for the role of home care workers must demonstrate that a Labour Market Means Test has been carried out. This 28 days to complete.
|
Issued |
Refused |
||
|
Year of issue |
Month of Issue |
Care workers and home carers |
Care workers and home carers |
|
2023 |
January |
3 |
|
|
February |
14 |
1 |
|
|
March |
34 |
6 |
|
|
April |
11 |
||
|
May up to 05/05/2023 |
2 |
||
|
Total |
61 |
10 |
|
Job Title |
Applications Received (Awaiting Processing) |
|
Carer in a Private Home |
1 |
|
Carer in the Home |
1 |
|
Home care worker |
4 |
|
Home Carer |
3 |
|
Homecare Assistant |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
10 |
Question No. 81 answered orally.